Town Plan of Gloucester

Johannes Kip’s view presents Gloucester as a compact cathedral city beside the River Severn. The buildings are drawn in perspective, allowing their roofs, towers and garden enclosures to be seen alongside the street pattern. This combination of town plan and bird’s-eye view makes the print particularly rewarding to study: the cathedral dominates the centre, but the small houses, orchards and river craft receive close attention too.

The cathedral and the city streets

The cathedral’s long roof and square central tower stand out among the smaller buildings. Kip gives its surrounding precinct and the neighbouring gardens enough space to reveal how different this part of Gloucester was from the densely built street frontages. Elsewhere, rows of houses face broad streets, with substantial plots and carefully divided gardens hidden behind them.

The old street pattern is an essential part of the view. Westgate Street leads towards the bridge on the left, while the crossing streets organise the city around its historic centre. There is no modern street-name overlay: the interest lies in reading the buildings and routes as Kip depicted them, rather than treating the engraving as a present-day navigation map.

Life beside the Severn

The river sweeps across the foreground, carrying several sailing vessels. Their masts and rigging add movement to a scene otherwise built from ordered rows of houses and garden beds. The bridge, waterside buildings and channels connect the urban scene with Gloucester’s river setting. Beyond the buildings, open land and scattered trees emphasise how clearly the early city stood apart from the surrounding countryside.

An early eighteenth-century Gloucester view

The plate first appeared in Robert Atkyns’s county history in 1712 and was subsequently included in Joseph Smith’s 1724 publication. The 1724 date identifies the edition reproduced here; the drawing records the earlier city represented by Kip’s plate. Above the scene, the original spelling “Gloster” and the inscription naming Thomas Brown, alderman, remain visible beside the heraldic decoration. Kip’s signature appears at the lower right.

The softly coloured roofs, blue-green river and warm paper tone make this historic town plan an appealing print for someone with a connection to Gloucester. It also rewards a closer look at the city’s buildings and gardens. The reproduction preserves the original artwork and proportions and is supplied unframed.